ABUJA  – In the last 10 days, the media space has been awash with trending stories and pic­tures of over 50 indigenes of Benue, in Kwande Local Gov­ernment who were massacred by Armed Herdsmen terroris­ing the area.

The marauding herders with cattle numbering over 300 hundred are said to have taken over the whole of Nyiev-ya (Mbakyor Ward, Turan) in Kwande LGA, Benue State, covering a distance of not less than 100km.

Turan is the ancestral home of the Tiv nation with Jato-Aka in Kwande LGA of Benue State as her headquarters.

The Herders are already said to have destroyed villages, mar­kets such as Ayuluba in Ityuluv Nyiev-ya, farm produce, houses and many others worth billions of naira.

In an open letter to President Muhammadu Buhari titled; “Terror Attacks on Farming Communities, Including Wom­en and Children in Kwande Local Government Area of Benue State.” which a copy was made available to Saturday IN­DEPENDENT, the community leaders called on the President to send security operatives to man their borders and chase the perpetrators causing this homicide away from their com­munities.

A letter which was co-signed by the trio of Comrade Festus Iorkyaa, President-Turan De­velopment Association (TUDA), Eric Tyohemba Udu and Solo­mon Terfa Jijah on behalf of members of the organization reads in part, “We write to re­port recent, sustained terror attacks on our communities over the past ten (10) days which have resulted in over fifty (50) people dead, several injured, thousands displaced and loss of property and farmlands.

“This latest spate of attacks started on the 2nd of February in Ityuragh, Mbaikyor ward in Turan Kwande LGA. These attacks have since spread to Abande, Ityon, Kendev-ya, Anwase, Yaaiwa, and other lo­calities an area spanning over 100km2.

“Eyewitnesses report that the attackers came in with cat­tle, numbering over three hun­dred (300) and are armed with highly sophisticated weapons, terrorizing the people of the area and killing unarmed civil­ians, women and children while destroying homes, food stores and farmlands.

“In some cases, they have tak­en over the lands and settled on them. They come in good num­bers with their cattle, destroy­ing farm produce for their an­imals to graze, chase away the inhabitants of such areas and pitch their tents there.”

The community leaders also released the names of some of the victims killed so far in Tur­an and their respective districts by the invading Herders. This includes, “Abande (Njoor); Ior­num Sonter, Abraham Terna, Aker Shagba Achuna from Iyon Anyura Bemshima Tyurugh; We have Kendon Tyover, orngu­ga Tyodoo, Ajoh Iorhemba, Or­shio Msughter, Abe Nyam, Aker Ushahemba’s, Ayagwa Lunen, Apav Terhile, Jirbee Amaku, Aza Bem, Ahil Wende, Iormum­be’s Ashi Shimave, Terhemba Madom, Andyar Aemberga, Kundu Igba, Tarkper Adomko, Jirbee Amaku Terlumun Swen.

“In Kendev-ya, the names includes, Terna Udam, Atighir Aondokula, Terfa Mbagbar, Terver Mbagbar, Terzungwe Chagh, Tyoazua Aondona, Kogh Aondowase, Akura Utoo, Iortsor Shaapera, Awuhe Terhe­men, Lase Mbanengen.

“From Barakur district (Nyiev-Tiev) we have Kuku Terngu, Kuku Mzehemen, Han­geuir Iorwuese Kuta etc. These killings and destroying of lives and properties occurs on a daily basis.”

This is as they humbly ap­pealed and called on the govern­ment and non-governmental or­ganisations to come to their aid.

They prayed government to “secure” their “lives, land and properties.” They also ap­pealed to the President to “assist in giving relief materials to the refuges of the affected crisis. Create IDP camps as people are homeless. This is because we are approaching the time of rainfall in our areas and refug­es one sleeping outside, if rain resumes the dilemma will be unbeatable.

“Send security operatives to man our borders and chase the perpetrators causing these homicides. Your excellency, we call on you, in keeping with the primary constitutional duty of the Nigerian government which you are sworn uphold to speedily secure the Kwande peo­ple, their farmlands and their properties as per your sworn duty as president of Nigeria.”

Meanwhile, the Director, Defence Media Operation (DMO), Major General Musa Danmadami, while reacting to a question on the killings going on in Kwande Local Gov­ernment Area of Benue, on Thursday during the biweekly media briefing at the Defence Headquarters, Abuja described the security situation as a “lin­gering issue” which are “mostly reprisal attacks.”

While calling on all stake­holders to join hands to stop what he called a “cycle of vio­lence,” Gen. Danmadami noted that the Military alone cannot end this crisis